Bruce Springsteen wrote a party anthem and I don't think I like it very much! Ooooh noooo!

It seems almost like two different songs have been mashed together here. He starts out meditating on religion, and then it's a little like the Black Eyed Peas (They love starting parties! They love turning it up! You know that!) teamed up with a gospel choir and attempted to write a new Cheers theme song. In this fantasy world, Taboo has learned how to play the saxophone, obviously.

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I think I would like this song a lot more if the chorus wasn't "Meet me at Mary's place/We're gonna have a party." I just keep picturing a very terrible party for some reason, which is unfair. Mary has done nothing to hurt me (unless she's the same Mary from this awful song.) Bruce has only great things to say. There's music! There's laughing! There are lockets! This party has it all. And yet I can't help imagining that this party is too loud, lit by fluorescents and filled with people who think it's acceptable to smoke indoors. None of that is in the song! Where is this coming from!? The human brain is a beautiful mystery.

It's a surprisingly frivolous song. I'm used to Bruce singing about the big issues that affect us all: catching trains, being a secret murderer, etc. Although according to brucespringsteen.com, your official source for all the Bruce news that's fit to print, The Rising was meant as a response to 9/11. So maybe "Mary's place" is actually a metaphor for America? And "furniture on the front porch" is like... the troops?

But it's probably more likely that Bruce just wants to let loose for once and the song is just actually about hanging with your buds. It's hard work being America's blue-collar poet laureate. Sometimes, you've just gotta blow off some steam. Sometimes, you've gotta light some candles, put on your best locket, and let the night unfold.

Rating: 6 keg stands out of 10.This makes me feel: like a real jerk. He's just trying to have some fun and/or reclaim a small shred of freedom after a life-altering terrorist attack. Why am I ruining this for everyone? Fun Bruce fact!: "Hungry Heart" was originally written for The Ramones. You might have expected me to save that fact for when I review that song, but I'm full of surprises, just like him.